NitroX
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| (.700 member) |
| 10/02/20 08:14 PM |
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Re: A Howdahing Moment!
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Ha! I used a couple of stills from that clip to illustrate an article for our Arms Collectors Journal a few years back:
Http://www.acant.org.au/Articles/HowdahRifle.html
Excellent article Tony. Please share more on suitable topics on new threads.
Reading this article, every time I thought of something to add to the article, Tony later covered it!
But found one!
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The advantages of hunting tiger from an elephant were quickly realised by senior civil servants and high-ranking military officers alike, especially the added security of an elevated position in the event of a charge from wounded dangerous game.
Another benefit of the raised shooting platform of an elephant's howdah saddle was the angle of the shots was steeper ie more into the ground. In close settled areas, or in crowded areas, where for example beaters may not be far behind, this provided more safety for the background of the shot. Similar to modern closely settled Europe and the great use of high seat towers or hochsitz.
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By all accounts this lofty sanction was far from secure
A personal observation. Don't use a howdah with a highly polished wood seat. Your bum slides around mercilessly and you are in danger of sliding off!!! I experienced this on an elephant and howdah in the mountain trails of Thailand, sometimes with steep cliffs to the side. Because I was carrying a big camera, I only had one hand to hang on with. And very hard to take photos or film sliding around. Let alone take an aimed shot with a rifle!
So now you are all fore warned in case of an elephant howdah shikar!
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Less common, but nonetheless effective as a close range tiger-stopper, was the light, handy, short-barrelled bore-rifle.
We have a fine example of a short barrelled howdah rifle in our NE double rifle archives. Will BTTT it.
As mentioned in the article but discussed for the howdah rifle in question in the article possibly not applicable in its case, because a lack of power. Many of these Howdah rifles, would not have been merely for defence at close quarters against attacking tiger or leopard. A howdah is an elephant's saddle. And a howdah rifle, gun or pistol is one designed to be use from an elephant's howdah saddle. The pistols would have been very short ranged. And principally were carried for extreme emergency use at very short range, end of muzzle or closer action. Where a long barrelled long arm may have been too long! The howdah rifles and shotguns are principally measured by shorter barrel length. For defensive use the shorter barrel is an asset not a problem for longer shots, defensive shots being on the ground below the elephant, or on the back or head of the elephant. But a shorter barrel rifle or shotgun would also have been handy in moving and swinging from left or right or front or back from the howdah saddle. Similar to how a shorter barrel is handier in jungle or brush hunting.
As is mentioned n this paragraph but discounted for the shorter longarm in question.
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Could this particular rifle have been intended for more general hunting than from a howdah? Most historical writings from Baker to Burrard would tend to indicate otherwise. Even at the beginning of the breech-loading era, the 3 dram charge and spherical ball was not considered particularly adequate for jungle shikar, and was probably rather light even as the primary arm in a howdah. As well as tiger and bear, buffalo and gaur were common quarry, and a rhinoceros or wild bull elephant in 'must' could not be ruled out.
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The crucial quick-handling qualities and capacity for a fast follow-up shot were enhanced by the side-by-side coach-gun design and total weight rarely exceeding 8 lbs.
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The absence of a standing leaf would have proven very handy for point-blank personal defence when the tiger was in dangerously close proximity to the hunter! This firearm is obviously intended to be pointed at the adversary at times, rather than aimed, and perhaps even 'prodded' at the point of discharge in dire circumstances!
During he article I was thinking that while a lovely twin barrelled .577 or ML howdah pistol is very desirable and romantic, and a shorter barrelled down rifle or paradox shotgun loaded with ball or slug may also be highly regarded, the plain, ordinary "Western Coach Gun" loaded with ball or slug would also do the job admirably. 12-bore cartridges loaded with ball, slug, or brennecke are devastating at short range on soft skinned game. A close range lack or regulation or accuracy is less a problem. I don't think using a shotgun as such would be a great impediment. A poor man's howdah longarm. And a defensive firearm the same as used from a Western coach, or a modern ouseholder's defensive shotgun.
Marrakai's, now 264's "Fat Lady" Greener Empire conversion to .577 Light Nitro with its very short barrel would also make the perfect howdah double rifle.
The lack of a standing leaf, excellent point. Gives me some hope that my own 10-bore Westley Richards double rifle from 1876 may have once ridden on a howdah on an elephant's back during a driven elephant drive.
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For such game, heavy bore-guns from the 5-dram No.12 up to the 10-dram No.8 were sine qua non during the mid to late 1800s. Double express rifles from .450 to .577 would soon become popular as bore-guns gradually faded from the scene, and although the 'Paradox' or 'Jungle Guns' were to enjoy brief popularity around the turn of the century, the various cordite express rifles would eclipse them all by the beginning of the Kaiser's War.